Loading apparatus for rimmed primer cap



Oct. 27, 1964 H. E. DICKEN 3,153,977

. LOADING APPARATUS FOR RIMMED PRIMER CAP Filed March 30, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 30 26 Z 30b /4 e 504.

A, I I 57 Z /5 Z0 a/ 7 I g i a v 24 2 a 22 6'? d 5g 1 o E I 6 I 3 i J 60 i If; :1 I 5 1 I! I 38 II )I 1 A INVENTOR. 3) I $1 H we/m 5. D/C/ff/V 411' J 197' TOR/V576" Oct. 27, 1964 H. E. DICKEN 3,153,977

LOADING APPARATUS FOR RIMMED PRIMER CAP Filed March 30, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 III I M Q Aj FIE/-7 INVENTOR.

United States Patent 3,153,977 LGADING APPARATUS FOR RIMMED PRHVIER CAP Howard E. Dicken, 22921 Cedar Point Road, Berea, Ohio Filed Mar. 30, 1964, Ser. No. 355,774 3 Claims. (Cl. 86-38) This invention relates to novel and improved apparatus for priming shells and, more particularly, to primer loading apparatus specially designed to load a primer cap within a shotgun shell prior to the latter being filled with explosive and shot materials.

A primary object of the present invention is the provision of novel and improved primer loading apparatus specially designed to load primer caps in shotgun shells and the like, wherein the primer caps are delivered individually to a loading station and subsequently individually placed within the shell and disposed therein at the priming position.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of new and improved primer loading apparatus specially designed to load priming caps within shotgun shells and the like prior to the latter being filled with explosive powder and shot, and wherein each primer cap is presented to a primer loading station and individually subsequently inserted into the shell casing and secured therein at the priming position.

Additional objects and advantages of the primer loading apparatus of the present invention will be apparent to one skilled in the art to which it pertains and upon reference to the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof and which embodiment is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a vertical elevational view of a loading apparatus for primer caps for shotgun shells embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a vertical elevational view of the loading apparatus of FIG. 1 showing the handle in its down position effective to deliver from the exit tube a primer cap rim end down;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged vertical elevational view of the loading apparatus of FIG. 1 in which the handle is in its up position as in FIG. 1 and a primer cap has been delivered rirn end down on the platform on the previous downstroke of the handle;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 44 indicated in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 55 indicated in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing the ejector lever, the view taken along the line indicated at 6-6 in FIG. 3; and

FIG. 7 is a vertical sectional view of a shotgun shell casing with a primer cap inserted therein at its priming position.

Referring now to the drawings throughout in which like parts are designated by the same reference character, a primer cap loading apparatus 1 is shown that is adapted to load a primer cap identified by the reference character P into a shotgun shell of the type shown in FIG. 7 which preferably has a metallic base 5 and a paperboard casing 6. The base 5 has a central aperture at one end into which the primer cap extends so as to be in communication with the interior of the shell casing and thereby be in close proximity with the explosive powder loaded therein so as to cause ignition of the same upon discharge.

The primer cap p is preferably cylindrical in configuration and is provided with an enlarged closure on its one end defining an annular rim R.

The loading apparatus 1 of the present invention comprises an upright post 2 attached to a base 3 and extending generally vertically upwardly therefrom. A loading platform 4 is disposed above base 3 and is adapted to receive a primer cap for ultimate insertion within a shotgun shell. A slide 8 is mounted upwardly from the base 3 on the post 2, the slide being adapted to move up and down smoothly on the post 2. Carried with the slide and pivotably connected thereto at 9 is a handle 10 that can be pulled downwardly to thereby properly position a primer cap on the plate 4 as seen in FIG. 3 and as will hereinafter be explained in more detail.

Pivotably .attached'to the handle 10 are lever arms 12 and 13, thearm 12 being pivotally attached to the post 2 at one end at 14 and pivotably connected to the arm 13 at the other end at 15. The arm 13 is in turn connected to handle 10 at 9, the pivot point 9 being attached to slide 8 as previously explained. 'As seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, the movement of handle 10 carries with it the slide 8. Attached to the slide is an assembly for feeding primer caps one at a time to the plate 4, which assembly also moves up and down with the handle. The above-mentioned feeding assembly comprises a plate 19 that is rigidly attached to the slide 8. A transfer tube 20 is secured to the plate by a suitable means such as clamp 22, bolt 23 and thumb screw 24, which screw bearsagainst a collar 24a that jackets the tube 20 and is spaced between the U-shaped ends of clamp 22.

The plate 19 and attached assembly are returned from the down position shown in FIG. 2 to the up position shown in FIG. 1 by a spring 25 disposed between the platform 4 and the movable plate 19. As part of the assembly carried up and down by the slide 8 in addition to the aforementioned transfer tube 20, a feed chute 26 is provided above the tube 20 and connected at one end thereto.

A feed tube 28 that is adapted to pick up primer caps one at a time with each movement of the handle 10 is connected to the opposite end of chute 26 whereby the caps may pass one at a time into the chute 26. A receptacle 30 having a central aperture 30c is slidably mounted on the tube 28, the receptacle holding a plurality of randomly disposed primer caps.

When the handle 10 is down, the receptacle 30 rests on support ring 31 that is rigidly connected to post 2 near the top thereof. As previously indicated, the receptacle 30, the tube 28, the feed chute 26 and the elongated transfer tube 20 are all carried up and down by the movement of the slide 8. In addition to these parts, an ejector lever assembly 35, an inclined exit chute 38 and an exit tube 39 are carried up and down with respect to the plate 4. The ejector lever 35 is connected into the transfer tube and the exit chute, the assembly being adapted to disperse one rim cap downwardly with each downward stroke of the handle 10.

The inclined chute 38 is connected to the bottom end of the magazine and a short, generally vertical exit tube 39 is connected to the exit end of chute 38, the tube 39 being adapted to deliver a primer cap rim end up to the platform 4.

Referring particularly to FIG. 3, the path of a primer cap will be described as it travels from the receptacle 30 to the plate 4 where it is delivered rim end down. When the handle 10 is returned to its up position, the receptacle is moved to its second or down position on the feed tube by the action of spring 41 which is connected between projection 30a on the stem bottom 30b of the receptacle and the finger 41a that projects from the bottom of the feed chute. Also, when the receptacle is in its down position, primer cap retention means including a spring arm 42 with a detent 43 is moved from the interior of the tube (see FIG. 1) to a position exteriorly of the tube. Still referring to FIG. 3, a primer cap at position a is free to pass downwardly through the feed tube. Inasmuch as the caps are randomly disposed within the receptacle 30, the cap may be rim end up as seen at position a or rim end down as seen at a. When the cap enters the tube rim end up, the cap is held by a holding member 45 in position b near the entrance end of the feed chute. When the caps are rim end down as seen in position a, a generally horseshoe-shaped abutment 47 is provided at the entrance end of chute 26 to tip the cap as shown at b to position the cap rim end up. Thus, ether the cap enters the feed tube rim end up or rim end down, the cap leaves the feed chute rim end up as seen at position 0. Each of the caps falls through the transfer tube 20, as seen in position d, with the rim end up, each cap being held one at a time in the ejector lever assembly 35 as seen at position e. With each down stroke of handle 10, a cap is discharged from the lever 35 rim end up and enters the feed chute as seen at position f, the cap sliding down the chute rim end up and passing under a retainer plate 50 as seen at position g, the retainer plate slowing the descent of the sliding cap. An abutment 52 located at the end of the exit chute and on the bottom thereof tips the cap as shown in position I: whereby the cap falls through the exit tube rim end down as shown at position i and is delivered rim end down as shown at position i on the platform 4.

Returning to the positions a and b, as seen, for instance, in FIGS. 4 and 5, the horseshoe shaped abutment 47 extends out into the path of a falling cap between the end of feed tube 28 and above the right-hand upper end of the feed chute 26. As shown at position b, a cap falling through the feed tube rim end down is righted by the abutment 47 so that it slides down the feed chute as seen in positions b and c. If a cap falls through the feed tube rim end up, it will come to rest, as previously indicated, at position b, the holding member 45, as seen in FIG. 4, being located at least one cap diameter, and preferably two diameters, down the chute from the abutment 47.

As noted in FIG. 5, the chute 26 has a generally V- shaped cross section, the rim R of each cap P riding on the upturned flanges 26a of the one-piece chute. This construction of chute 38 and the previously described abutment 47 allows the cap to reach the position c with the rim end up.

Turning to a more detailed description of position e, as best seen in FIGS. 3 and 6, the ejector lever 35 comprises three rectangular lever sections 35a, 35b and 350 placed one over the other and fastened together to form a single unit. As seen in FIGS. 1, 3 and 6, the unit 35 is shown at rest in which a primer cap is held within the unit as shown at e. The rest position in FIG. 3 is depicted in solid lines While the ejecting position is shown in dot-dash lines. In FIG. 2, the lever unit has moved through the transfer tube from right to left and is in its ejecting position. As shown at position e in FIG. 3, a primer cap is held in the lever 35, its rim R resting on the material of bottom plate 35c that forms one end of the keyhole shaped opening 550 in plate 350. When the lever is moved to its ejecting position, the trapped primer cap is moved from left to right with respect to the plate 35c from the small end of a key-shaped slot in 35c along the entire length of the slotted opening 550 until it reaches the enlarged opening 55d whereupon it falls therethrough and down into the exit chute. Thus, the middle plate 35b has a generally elongated slot 55b while both plates 35a and 350 have keyhole shaped openings,

the large ends of which are used by each cap to pass through the lever in two steps.

As previously indicated, the handle 10 has means effective to operate the ejector lever 35 including a striking plate 57 that is carried by the handle, the plate 57 contacting the one end of the lever 35 to slide the same horizontally through the transfer tube. The lever is also pivotably attached to the transfer tube by arm 58 at point 59. A suitable spring 60 is interposed between the arm 58 and the transfer tube to return the lever to its at rest position as shown at e after the handle is moved up.

Having thus described in detail a preferred embodiment of primer cap loading apparatus, it will be apparent that the same is susceptible to various modifications, combinations, and arrangements of parts without departing from the inventive concepts as are defined in the claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A loading apparatus for a primer cap having a peripherally projecting rim at one end comprising, a receptacle into which a plurality of primer caps are randomly disposed, said receptacle having a central aperture through which the primer caps may pass one at a time, said receptacle being slidably mounted on a feed tube located therebelow, a feed chute located below the feed tube and having one end connected therewith, a transfer tube connected at one end with the opposite end of said feed chute, an exit chute connected to said transfer tube, an exit tube connected to said exit chute, the exit tube being effective to dispense primer caps rim down one at a time, an ejector lever disposed in said transfer tube and operable to dispense primer caps from said transfer tube one at a time, means carried on said feed tube including retention means disposed within the interior of the tube when the receptacle is in a first position on said feed tube to prevent a cap from passing through said aperture, said retention means being normally disposed outside the feed tube when the receptacle is in a second position whereby a cap may freely pass through said feed tube, a handle operably connected to the feed tube and effective to move the receptacle along the feed tube whereby a cap is deposited into the feed tube through said receptacle aperture, said handle including means effective to operate said ejector lever and eject a primer cap rim end up from said transfer tube, tipping means comprising an abutment adjacent one end of the feed chute effective to tip a primer cap entering said feed chute rim end down to an inverted position wherein said cap is rim end up as it leaves said feed chute, said handle being operable in each downward stroke to dispense a primer cap from the transfer tube and to retain a succeeding primer cap in said feed chute.

2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which the means effective to operate the ejector lever includes a striking plate carried by said handle, the plate being effective to contact the lever during the downstroke of the handle and operate said lever.

3. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which a holding member is provided above the feed chute at a location past the abutment at the entrance end of the feed chute, said holding member eifective to hold a primer cap in the feed chute when the receptacle is in its second position on the feed tube.

No references cited.

BENJAMIN A. BORCHELT, Primary Examiner. 

1. A LOADING APPARATUS FOR A PRIMER CAP HAVING A PERIPHERALLY PROJECTING RIM AT ONE END COMPRISING, A RECEPTACLE INTO WHICH A PLURALITY OF PRIMER CAPS ARE RANDOMLY DISPOSED, SAID RECEPTACLE HAVING A CENTRAL APERTURE THROUGH WHICH THE PRIMER CAPS MAY PASS ONE AT A TIME, SAID RECEPTACLE BEING SLIDABLY MOUNTED ON A FEED TUBE LOCATED THEREBELOW, A FEED CHUTE LOCATED BELOW THE FEED TUBE AND HAVING ONE END CONNECTED THEREWITH, A TRANSFER TUBE CONNECTED AT ONE END WITH THE OPPOSITE END OF SAID FEED CHUTE, AN EXIT CHUTE CONNECTED TO SAID TRANSFER TUBE, AN EXIT TUBE CONNECTED TO SAID EXIT CHUTE, THE EXIT TUBE BEING EFFECTIVE TO DISPENSE PRIMER CAPS RIM DOWN ONE AT A TIME, AN EJECTOR LEVER DISPOSED IN SAID TRANSFER TUBE AND OPERABLE TO DISPENSE PRIMER CAPS FROM SAID TRANSFER TUBE ONE AT A TIME, MEANS CARRIED ON SAID FEED TUBE INCLUDING RETENTION MEANS DISPOSED WITHIN THE INTERIOR OF THE TUBE WHEN THE RECEPTACLE IS IN A FIRST POSITION ON SAID FEED TUBE TO PREVENT A CAP FROM PASSING THROUGH SAID APERTURE, SAID RETENTION MEANS BEING NORMALLY DISPOSED OUTSIDE THE FEED TUBE WHEN THE RECEPTACLE IS IN A SECOND POSITION WHEREBY A CAP MAY FREELY PASS THROUGH SAID FEED TUBE, A HANDLE OPERABLY CONNECTED TO THE FEED TUBE AND EFFECTIVE TO MOVE THE RECEPTACLE ALONG THE FEED TUBE WHEREBY A CAP IS DEPOSITED INTO THE FEED TUBE THROUGH SAID RECEPTACLE APERTURE, SAID HANDLE INCLUDING MEANS EFFECTIVE TO OPERATE SAID EJECTOR LEVER AND EJECT A PRIMER CAP RIM END UP FROM SAID TRANSFER TUBE, TIPPING MEANS COMPRISING AN ABUTMENT ADJACENT ONE END OF THE FEED CHUTE EFFECTIVE TO TIP A PRIMER CAP ENTERING SAID FEED CHUTE RIM END DOWN TO AN INVERTED POSITION WHEREIN SAID CAP IS RIM END UP AS IT LEAVES SAID FEED CHUTE, SAID HANDLE BEING OPERABLE IN EACH DOWNWARD STROKE TO DISPENSE A PRIMER CAP FROM THE TRANSFER TUBE AND TO RETAIN A SUCCEEDING PRIMER CAP IN SAID FEED CHUTE. 